What are green buildings and how do they work?

Question

It's for a science project. I'm not really getting what we're supposed to do, but my question that I have to answer is, "What are ideas that make 'green buildings' work?"

Answer 1

Green Building practices promote construction of buildings that are healthier for the occupants and healthier for the environment.



Sustainable or “green” building practices can reduce the tremendous impact that building design, construction and maintenance has on both people and nature. According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Center for Sustainable Development, buildings consume 40% of the world's total energy, 25% of its wood harvest and 16% of its water.



The building industry is the nation's largest manufacturing activity, representing more than 50% of the nation's wealth and 13% of its Gross Domestic Product.



Energy and material consumption in buildings can contribute significantly to global climate change.



Sustainable building practices go beyond energy and water conservation to incorporate environmentally sensitive site planning, resource efficient building materials and superior indoor environmental quality. Some of the key benefits are:



lower electric and water utility costs

environmentally effective use of building materials

enhanced health and productivity

long-term economic returns

reduced environmental impact



Good Luck with your assignment!!!

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Green buildings are buildings that are very energy efficient. Green buildings work because they use techniques that help save on their energy bill.



Some examples are putting "green roofs" on the building. This means they put grass, moss, or even trees on top of the building to help keep the building cool in summer and warm in winter. They also help increase the albedo (the reflectivity) of the urban areas since most building are gray or black. Although green does not have a very high albedo, it is still higher than asphalt or cement. The buildings will also use good wall materials that insulate the building so they do not have to use air or heat as much in the summer or winter.



Another way to reduce energy in a building is to use auto-lights/equipment that will turn off when someone is no longer in the building. They will also put energy efficient bulbs in their sockets.



Green buildings also use a good recycling program in the building by recycling old paper, etc.



Another way to save on energy is to utilize natural light. Often green buildings will have lots of windows that trap the light the way a greenhouse does as well as reduce the amount of lights being used in the daytime. This coincides usually with the use of a solar panel on the roof or side of the building.



Often companies that sport green buildings will also support technology for telecommuting. Basically, this means they will allow workers to work at home and not expend greenhouse gases by commuting. Again, the use of energy efficient technology (computers, hardware, projection screens, phones, etc.) all helps to reduce the total energy footprint of a building.



Still another way to be "green" is by using technology in the bathroom that's waterless. Many buildings now will have waterless systems in their restrooms. This helps the building conserve water. Also, the use of hand sanitizer (although this is bad in the long run because germs and bacteria become resistant) is sometimes offered in the bathrooms.



Some buildings even have showers and gyms available in the building so workers can ride their bides to work and workout after work, which saves on the external energy of their employees.



These are just the main ways that green buildings help the environment. If you want to know more, you can email me directly. :D

Answer 4

Why Build Green?

In the United States, buildings account for:



39 % of total energy use

12 % of the total water consumption

68 % of total electricity consumption

38 % of the carbon dioxide emissions



A list of additional statistics on buildings and the environment (PDF) (5 pp., 66K, About PDF) is available.



The built environment has a vast impact on the environment, human health, and the economy. By adopting green building strategies, we can maximize both economic and environmental performance. Green construction methods can be integrated into buildings at any stage, from design and construction, to renovation and deconstruction. However, the most significant benefits can be obtained if the design and construction team takes an integrated approach from the earliest stages of a building project. Potential benefits of green building can include:



Environmental benefits

Enhance and protect biodiversity and ecosystems

Improve air and water quality

Reduce waste streams

Conserve and restore natural resources





Economic benefits

Reduce operating costs

Create, expand, and shape markets for green product and services

Improve occupant productivity

Optimize life-cycle economic performance





Social benefits

Enhance occupant comfort and health

Heighten aesthetic qualities

Minimize strain on local infrastructure

Improve overall quality of life

Answer 5

You won't find a more comprehensive site than the EPA site on green Buildings (the first link) as it covers current regulations and programs. The second link is a good definition and details on current green building standards and goals.



Green building is gaining momentum. Green or sustainable building is the practice of creating healthier and more resource-efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance, and demolition. Research and experience increasingly demonstrate that when buildings are designed and operated with their lifecycle impacts in mind, they can provide great environmental, economic, and social benefits. Elements of green building include:



* Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

* Water Stewardship

* Environmentally Preferable Building Materials and Specifications

* Waste Reduction

* Toxics

* Indoor Environment

* Smart Growth and Sustainable Development







GREEN BUILDING DEFINITION



Green building is the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use and harvest energy, water, and materials, and reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal — the complete building life cycle.



Green building is also sometimes known as sustainable building or environmental building, although there are slight differences in the definitions. The practice of green building can lead to benefits including reduced operating costs by increasing productivity and using less energy and water, improved public and occupant health due to improved indoor air quality, and reduced environmental impacts by, for example, lessening storm water runoff and the heat island effect.



Green building is an essential component of the related concepts of sustainable design, sustainable development and general sustainability.



Practitioners of green building often seek to achieve not only ecological but aesthetic harmony between a structure and its surrounding natural and built environment. The appearance and style of sustainable homes and buildings can be nearly indistinguishable from their less sustainable counterparts.

Answer 6

green development A green development makes use of much less capability, water and organic factors, creates much less waste and is fit for the human beings residing interior while in comparison with a customary development. green homes are designed to shrink the final effect of the geared up environment on human wellness and the organic environment by using: effectively using capability, water, and different factors protecting occupant wellness and recuperating worker productiveness reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation[2] an identical thought is organic development, that's many times on a smaller scale and has a tendency to concentration at using organic supplies that are attainable regionally.[3] different popular words comprise sustainable layout and green shape. a 0 capability development (ZEB) or internet 0 capability development is a wide-unfold term utilized to a development with a internet capability intake of 0 over a typical twelve months. 0 capability homes are gaining significant pastime as a potential to shrink greenhouse gas emissions and shelter capability. homes use 40% of the completed capability in the U. S. and ecu Union

Answer 7

Green buildings are buildings that use alternative forms of energy, have reduced waste, and are usually all the way sustainable. Geothermal heating/cooling, solar power on shingles/wind power in the back yard, composting, gardening, etc are the types of things that green houses use to reach that sustainability.

Answer 8

Depends on who you ask. But generally they are building made with some sort of environment concern taken into the design processes. Whether it be solar panels, sustainable building materials, solar orientation, or using non toxic material in the building. Check out this site for some answers http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/

Answer 9

Green buildings or being green is the idea of being more concerned and interested in protecting the earth and its environment. Recycled materials using materials that don't ruin the rain forest such as faster growing trees and lumber from tree farms. Cleaner fuel and more energy efficient fuels and power such as wind farms

Answer 10

I think green buildings are buildings with plants on the top that take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen so that cities get cleaner air... but u should wikipedia it.